Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-10-29
THAT BIG DEBATE.
CHAMPIONS OF CO-OPERA-
TON AND TAXES DISPUTE.
Sergius Sheyiich aud Henry George
on the Rostrum The Land Tax
Bubble Neatly Burst.
Friday, Fish and
Shanty.

The great debate between the
elected representative of the New
York Labor Party, s. Il. Sheyitch,
and the originator and director OF
the Land Tax Party, Henry George,
occurred last Sunday evening at
Harry Miners Eighth Avenue The
atre, New York. The house was
divided, according to the program,
equally between the followers Of
Henry George and the members OF
the Labor Party. The debaters had
two innings each, the first of
forty five minutes and the last of
fifteen minutes, Mr.. Shevitch open
ing the debate. Samuel Gompers,
of the Cigarmakers' Union, presided,
and in calling the meeting to order
begged that there should be no ap-
plausc, bat that the hearers should
listen and take home with them the
arguments presented. He then in
troduccl Mr.. Shevitch, and true to
Gothamitc tradition, there was ap-
plause. lie spoke in an easy, con-
versational tone, making his points
tell Az he exhibited the obstacles in
| the way of the realization Of the
| fond hopes held forth by the advo-
Gates of the single land tax to abol-
ish poverty. lie showed that the
tax would inevitably be shifted up
on Labor, and that Labor would al
ways bear the burden Of taxation.
| lie showed also that the single land
tax would mean absolute free trade,
which would bring the American
workingmen into ruinous competl'
ton with the organized capital ol
Europe. During his speech Mr..
Shevitch touched on one of Mr..
Georges "unanswer BILE" lllustra'
tons as follows:
"Mr. George makes an argument ol
Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday
saying that if Crusoe owned the ground
Friday must be his slave, but if not
then Friday could be free man. | ash
what Friday would do if Mr.. Crusoe
should import men and machinery to dc
| all the work on the island?'
The speaker wandered from Tho
subject somewhat when he referred
to the last election and the strong
support of Mr.. George enjoyed. Lie
said it wes not given him because O
his theories, but Notwithstanding
them, because he was an hones
man, and because Of his splendid
arraignment of the present order Of
things in his "Progress and Pow
erty."
Mr.. George then stepped to tn
front, amid the widest enthusiasm
Of his adherents. lie said:
am here to defend what is the onl.
possible way to emancipate labor.
don't claim that the land theory will d.
everything, but it is the beginning, afte
which all other things we want dom
will be made easier, and until we d.
that we will be rowing against the tld
in all other reforms. We don't believ
in the iron rule of wages as Mr.. Shev
itch does. Men now compete with on
another at disadvantage from bein
cooped and crowded in cities. From th
land we came, and back to it we mus
90, for true reform must go back to tn
7 beginning Of things.
MIR. Shevitch speaks of Ctusoe and hi
man Frid.. and reply to his argumer
: that Friday, if shiploads of foreigner
: came oyer, could fish or till the land G
build his hut or make bows and arrow
if he had right to the land, but If Crl
, soc owned the land he could say oval
off," and Friday would have to g
, Laughter and applause.
D He could have produced enough fc
l his simple wants, and that would hay
been enough. Mr.. Shevitch says h
couldn't work without capital. Did yo
ever hear of squatter town on Manhatta
d Island? ~.
4 This brought forth laughter fol
n both sides of the house, but ther
d were different reasons for it, accord
e ing to the views of the hearers. Nj
J. y George consulted his notes, an
there vas long wait. lie was ey